Furball
by Grinning Cheshire
Summary: 'Leap Before You Think' That had been Issun's motto for a very long time, but when he met that stupid white wolf, she got him thinking a lot. And he always seemed to be thinking about her. (Drabble story, some shipping.)
1. Chapter 1

**Furball: An Okami Fan Story, by The Grinning Cheshire.**

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**Author's Note: **I never pictured myself as an Okami fan, but after several recommendations, I tried it out. (A lot like My Little Pony, really.) Seeing as it is now one of my favorite games, it must be doing something right. And it's created a new favorite shipping as well, even if most don't agree on it. Lastly, it gave me a desire to write stories again…

And now that my shameless advertisement is finished, I'll actually say something useful.

I enjoy writing little one shots, so this will simply be a bunch of little drabbles with very little continuity except for one theme.

I'll leave you to guess what that is.

As a final note, I have not yet finished Okami, so please forgive me if I get anything wrong. I'm writing this for both your enjoyment and my own, and I hope to accomplish that.

So, may you find this enjoyable, and please remember to review.

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**Disclaimer: **Watashi ga shoyu shite inai Okami.

**Chapter One.**

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**Tsun.**

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One second, that was all the time it had taken for the sky to go from blacker than night, to filled with brilliant, shining light.

And it was a full minute later before the small man was able to speak again, his usual overflow of words having, for once, been frozen in his throat, as he gazed up at the newly born burning ball of light that blazed brilliantly in the sky.

The sun, created by powerful brushwork, seemed to bring alive the land below. Even now, from the viewing platform, Issun could see the previous still land seeming to light up, as the wind returned, filling the air with a cooling breeze.

And right underneath Issun, looking very smug about what she had just created, was the white wolf Amaterasu, or Ammy, for short; though he wasn't quite sure he should call her that anymore.

After all, doing anything the sun god didn't approve of was probably a death sentence.

He had known she was powerful brush artist, she had already shown him that, but being able to control the sun itself…

"Wha…Wha…What the heck?" The Poncle finally managed to get out, still fixated on the red orb, which seemed to spin in the air, as if showing off for all that could see.

Which, in truth, it probably was.

Swallowing down his amazement, Issun did his best to act as naturally as possible; and started bouncing up and down on the larger animal's head.

So what if she was no ordinary god? He was still the great Issun, wandering artist and handsome to boot. Besides, he was also a warrior, and few could match his blade.

So the wolf could raise the sun, big deal! Maybe she had the power to master brush techniques instantly, who cared? She would never match HIS greatness.

None the less, he was glad when the village elder, Mr. Orange, appeared, giving him a perfect distraction to take his mind off of the celestial sphere which taunted him.

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**Gekido.**

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Some wise words of advice, if one is a mischievous imp looking for a poor soul to terrorize, at all costs one should avoid a white wolf with crimson markings; for if that beast bears its fangs against you, your time in this world shall not be long.

Issun made a mental note to always abide by this newfound wisdom, as he watched from Amaterasu's back as the divine canine divided one of those flute-playing monsters from its lower half. He could feel the power of a magical brush reverberating through the air, as the creature let out a final scream, before its body faded from existence. The second demon, seeming to pause at the sight of its comrade being cleaved in two by an unseen force, jumped away from the wolf, and extended its wooden flute, preparing to attack.

It had not the chance, however, as Amaterasu leapt over the creature, before striking at its exposed back.

Though Issun hated these monsters, he shuddered slightly as the imp wailed, before collapsing to the ground, its body, like the first one, disappearing into the ground, beautiful flowers taking its place.

It wasn't the wail that disturbed the small artist however; it was the way his companion's claws sunk into the thin skin, tearing it apart, what little blood the monster possessed staining the wolf's white fur.

Then, in a flash, it was over, and the barrier the demons created faded from existence, leaving the duo in the middle of Shinshu Field, the tree Amaterasu had been napping under only a few minutes ago still cast its cooling shadow, seeming completely oblivious to the battle that had just taken place.

"Heh, guess you showed them not to try to sneak up on us, huh Ammy?" Issun asked, realizing that the slaughter had ended.

Panting slightly, the majestic wolf gave a bark of confirmation, before curling up on the soft grass, looking to resume her interrupted slumber.

Issun simply sighed, and started smirking. Only Furball…

"Oh well, you deserve some more rest, and I don't mind a little myself."

With that, the tiny person hopped off of his friend's back, and sat on the ground, leaning against the warm fur of her side. Gazing off into the distance, the rejuvenation master felt himself relaxing, all cares fading away from him, as he prepared to enjoy one of his favorite activities, napping.

But just as his eyes drifted shut, Amaterasu suddenly leaned her head over, and gently nuzzled the traveling artist, startling him.

"Hey, hey, hey! Cut it out Ammy!" Issun shouted, pushing against the larger snout, yet there was a hint of laughter in his voice. "Some of us are trying to sleep here!"

The wolf seemed to give him an amused smile, before shaking her head, and resting it back on her paws. When he was sure she couldn't see, Issun smiled back, before returning to his relaxed position, snuggling against the warm fur.

It still confused him how his friend could go from a fierce warrior who used every tool at her disposal to dispose of the demons that threatened the world, to the kind, fun loving canine that he was now using as a pillow.

From fury, to peace.

Honestly, he didn't care how, he was just glad she did.

"Only Furball…"

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**Shizen**

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He never got tired of seeing it.

Every time she did it, he found himself amazed, because even though he himself was a brush master, her skill was so elegant, so powerful, that he only ever knew she had drawn when the results appeared before him.

And when she made the trees bloom, he couldn't help but admire her.

Issun had seen the wolf do many things with her Celestial Brush, from slicing a monster in two, to controlling the sun and moon, to manipulating the forces of nature, and even time itself.

And yet, out of all of it, her true heart was shown when Amaterasu took the time to grant new life to a single tree or clover.

And that was what he really admired.

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**Final Note: **I know this was short, but I think that's best for this kind of story. I'll keep uploading until I'm completely out of ideas, and given how long Okami is, that probably won't happen.

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it.


	2. Kyōfu

**Furball: Chapter Two.**

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**Densetsu.**

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People always talked about that legendary battle, when the white wolf Shiranui and the great hero Nagi destroyed the terrible monster Orochi. It was a day that went down in history, to be carried on for all of Kamiki Village's future generations.

But of all the different versions Issun had heard, he never suspected that on the one-hundredth year anniversary of the Orochi's death, said creature would emerge once again to terrorize the world.

Perhaps he would have simply gone into hiding, for while the Poncle didn't consider himself a coward, he definitely wasn't about to take on some powerful demon that was previously defeated by divine intervention.

However, he was just so lucky as to get attached to a do-gooder wolf that was determined to kill the beast, save the girl he had taken as a sacrifice, and set everything right.

Fantastic.

"It ain't too late, Ammy. We might be able to go back and get that stupid prophet to do this instead."

In response, the she-wolf shook the bug-sized artist off her head, dropping him onto the strange, floating, bone-like path that led up to Orochi's den. Groaning, Issun picked himself back up, and watched the goddess continue ascending the walkway.

"Fine, you want to be like that? Go on without me! If you're such a powerful being, then you won't need my help anyway!"

His only reply was a snort from Amaterasu, whose own pace never changed as she walked.

Well, that settled it. If that flea-bitten canine was so determined to get herself killed, then just let her. He had only come this far with her to get the brush techniques, and a fat lot of good they would do him if he died here.

No, he was just going to take the techniques he knew, sneak out of the Moon Cave, and put as much distance between himself and that eight-headed lizard as possible.

And it wasn't like Ammy was sure to fail; she still had a chance… A slim chance, but a chance…

If only she would listen to reason, then they could both find a way out of the fortress, and go in search of the remaining brush gods together.

But if Furball wanted to take on Orochi, that was her business, and he wasn't going to have anything to do with it…

He didn't care if that mongrel got killed…

A shiver suddenly ran down the Poncle's spine at that thought. There was a very strong possibility that Orochi would kill Ammy…

He couldn't just stand by and let that happen!

Seconds later, Issun was jumping up and down on the wolf's head, while she seemed to be focused on ignoring him.

"Come on, Ammy, I'm not saying your weak, but Orochi is legendary! It took Nagi and Shiranui to defeat him last time! Well, even if you are Shiranui reborn, who's going to fulfill Nagi's part, me?"

This simply caused Amaterasu to nod her head, earning a sweat drop from the much smaller being.

"You've got to be kidding, Furball! Even if I had the strength to cut one of that monster's ugly heads off, I'm too small to even be noticed by him!"

Suddenly, Issun found himself on the floor again, with the white wolf staring at him, an obvious scowl on her face. Using her paw, she pushed the Poncle backwards, and motioned back down the path with her head.

"What? You're telling me to leave?"

The Divine Creature nodded, before turning around, and starting the last part of the journey.

Issun swallowed hard, she wasn't going to listen to him. For some reason, the sun goddess was determined to battle Orochi, even if she had to do it alone.

The only choice he had now was to run for it, before the fight started, and hope Ammy managed to win…

Amaterasu was doing her best to calm herself, as battling the beast frightened was only going to weaken her.

But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't shake the memory of the pain Orochi's attack had caused her; the feeling of his massive claws digging into her skin…

Suddenly, her ears shot up, as she felt a familiar presence on the top of her head, not jumping though, just standing there.

"Ammy… The legend also says that Shiranui died fighting Orochi… That's true, right?"

The Okami nodded, feeling her own body falter at the memory.

Issun didn't know everything, but he seemed to be putting some of the pieces together.

"Well, we've got no Nagi, no sword, the wrong kind of sake, and only nine brush techniques… Since we seem to be doing everything else wrong, maybe we'll actually live through this thing!"

This froze Amaterasu in her tracks, before she suddenly let out of a bark, and started wagging her tail, causing Issun to chuckle.

"That's the spirit! Leap before you think, huh Ammy?"

Agreeing a second time, Amaterasu broke into a run, covering the remaining distance in only a few seconds.

And just as they reached the platform overlooking Orochi's den, Issun spoke again.

"Time to change the legend, Furball."

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**Arigato.**

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Some girls just don't know a compliment when they hear one; of course, Issun's phrasing of his compliments probably had something to do with that.

For instance, he and Amaterasu had been wandering through Sei'an City while the wolf was on one of her treasure hunts, and he saw a young woman who was very, very pretty.

Unfortunately, when he declared how beautiful she was, he focused his praise on two specific parts of her body.

And it wasn't her eyes.

And since he had been bouncing up and down in front of her (much to Ammy's annoyance), all it had taken was a quick, backhanded swing to send the Poncle flying straight into the city's water canal.

So, Issun made a mental note to not be so direct with what he admired about a girl.

Or he would have, had he not been focused on trying to swim.

Thankfully, before every part of the small man's body realized that he didn't know HOW to swim, a strange wind blew through the area, carrying a white wolf on a lily pad over to the struggling artist.

Gently, Amaterasu bent down, and picked Issun out of the water with her teeth, setting him next to her on the water lily.

"Ugh, I hate baths. Thanks, Furball."

Ammy gave a short yap, which was ignored by Issun, as he was busy trying to ring as much water as he could out of his robe, all the while muttering to himself.

"My brush had better not have been ruined by the water. I'm not sure why I even bother talking to people, you give a girl a nice compliment, and what does she do? Slap me."

It was right after this monologue that the thought that had been delayed during his attempts to not drown returned to the bug-sized adventurer, as he realized that, perhaps, he should be more tactful when talking to the opposite gender.

He was going to disregard this advice and send it back to whatever logical part of his mind it had come from, when a sudden gust of wind reminded of him of the fact that he was soaking wet at the moment.

Well, it couldn't hurt to try it out, or at least be less painful than just simply commenting on a female's gifts. But what was he supposed to say?

Hm… Perhaps he could practice, just like when trying to improve his brushwork…

But how? Saying the wrong thing could end up getting him slapped again, and a lot of people simply ignored him to begin with.

Then, whatever logical part of his brain had sent the first thought apparently took a break, as his next idea was 'well, there is a girl right next to you.'

Once this idea had run through his head, the more intelligent side of Issun doubled back, apparently overhearing what the dumb side had just said.

'What? No, Ammy's just a wolf.'

'A female wolf.'

'Well, yeah, but she's my friend!'

'Exactly, so she'll forgive you if you offend her!'

'Ok, maybe… Oh, she's a goddess!'

'A goddess that everyone else can only see as a simple white wolf, I'm sure she'd appreciate a compliment from someone who knows who she really is.'

'I guess so…'

'Good, now, get complimenting.'

While the smart side of Issun's brain tried to figure out how it had lost that argument, the Poncle turned to the canine and cleared his throat.

"Hey, Ammy?" He said, trying to sound as natural as possible, while simultaneously trying to think of what the heck he was supposed to say.

At his voice, the wolf, who until that point had been staring up at something in the sky, turned to him with a curios look on her face.

'Alright, what to say. Everyone else always calls her a beautiful wolf, so that's out. Maybe her markings… No, all the gods have those. How white her teeth are?... Yeah, let's try that.'

And Issun had every intention to comment on the excellence of Amaterasu's dentistry, had he not met her eyes at that moment.

She was several times larger than he was, but this meant he could clearly see her obsidian colored eyes, gazing down at him with curiosity and expectancy, mixed with playfulness, care, and a hint of concern. He also saw wisdom, pain, and hidden sorrow.

"Your eyes…" He muttered, earning a head tilt from his friend… But Issun didn't say anything after that, he just kept staring.

Finally, Ammy let out a whimper, which startled him back to conscious thought. Apparently, she thought something was wrong, as her ears were drooping, and Issun could swear the wolf looked self-conscious.

Quickly, he rectified that.

"Uh, sorry. I mean your eyes, they're… Well… Beautiful."

This caused said eyes to blink, as Amaterasu leaned back, making a sound akin to 'Huh?'

"Oh, uh, see, I was practicing giving compliments that won't get me slapped and I just noticed your eyes are very, very pretty. Was I not supposed to start off with that? Maybe something simpler… Well, your…HEY!"

Suddenly, the great Okami, controller of the sun itself, leant down, and licked him.

It was so sudden that by the time Issun had a chance to react, Ammy had already summoned a divine wind and sailed the lily pad to one of the faery docks, hoping off the natural floatation device and walking off into the city.

So, the Poncle simply followed after her, muttering as he ran.

"Great, soaked again."

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**Torappu.**

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An idiot, that's what he was, just a little, greedy idiot.

He should have seen the trap coming, should have suspected what was waiting for them. But he had been too focused on finding whatever ancient treasures the Tsuta Ruins held.

He had been with Ammy the whole way as she battled through the demons that inhabited the forgotten temple, and yet, he had ignored the strangeness of the giant flower that sat in the middle of the largest room in the whole place.

He had leapt before he thought, and now, he had to pay the price.

Amaterasu had barked a warning as he investigated around the inside of the giant, wilted looking flower, but it had come too late. Issun had just noticed the prone dog within the plant, when the petals suddenly snapped shut, closing him inside complete darkness.

He tried slicing his way out, but Denkomaru simply bounced off of anything it hit. And just when he thought it couldn't get worse, he was thrown off his feet, as whatever the trap flower was attached to rose out of the floor of the chamber.

It had started speaking to Ammy in a raspy, female voice, but Issun couldn't seem to focus on what was said. His head was hurting, and his body felt weak. Stumbling around, the artist didn't even notice when he dropped his prized sword, and was only slightly aware of when he collapsed, due to his world seeming to spin around.

And then, just as he was about to lose consciousness, light seemed to explode around him, and he was once again sent flying, as a horrid screech filled the air.

He didn't feel the pain from his landing; his senses had been too dulled, so it was only after a few minutes that he noticed he wasn't on the flower anymore. Everything seemed to have been covered by a greenish haze, and gone completely silent.

He could barely even make out the white wolf that stood over him, a strange liquid covering her usually brilliant coat.

"… Furball... What happened?" Issun managed to whisper out, his throat feeling as if he had gone and drank an ocean worth of salt water.

Even if Ammy had been able to answer him, he wouldn't have heard, as the Poncle lost consciousness a second later.

Frantic, Amaterasu put her ear to his small form, letting out a sigh of relieve to hear that he was still breathing, if a bit irregularly.

That Spider Queen must have been trying to put him to sleep, easier to digest that way. The very thought made the goddess feel sick.

Orochi's servant had tried to kill her, but worse, she had come close to killing Issun.

Oh, and that red dog as well.

Glancing over at was once the Spider Queen, Amaterasu took in what exactly she had done.

The flower that made up the monster's abdomen had been completely blown apart, a feat accomplished by the Cherry Bomb brush technique. All eight of the spider's legs had sliced off, and due to their size, cut up into several different sections.

And finally, a vine was wrapped around the creature's human neck, several long thorns obviously having cut into the skin.

And yet, the Okami felt no remorse, as she watched the corpse transform into a large, truly beautiful flower.

Turning to the small, unconscious Issun, Amaterasu knelt down, and touched him with her nose.

That feeling of him coming close to death was a terrible one, and the goddess declared that it would never go that far again.

From now on, she would protect the Poncle with her life.

And so, she lay on the ground, wrapping her paws around the artist, and waited on her friend to wake up.

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**O Yomi Itadaki, Arigatōgozaimashita.**

**If you enjoyed it, please follow, favorite, and maybe, please review.**


	3. Dai Ni Rongu

**Furball: Chapter Three.**

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**Yuki.**

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If there was one thing Issun loved, it was having fun.

Well, he also loved treasure, painting, and beautiful women, but fun was definitely on the list as well.

He loved going out on adventures, discovering hidden things, celebrating at parties, or simply enjoying a care-free life, because those things were fun.

So, he was always quick to jump in and join the fun whenever enjoyment was to be had, or at the very least wouldn't interfere when someone was just having a good time.

However, this once, he was making an exception.

"C'mon Furball! We don't have time for this!"

The Poncle's declaration seemed to be ignored by his larger comrade, as the wolf rolled around happily in the snow, the white powder seeming to be unable to cover her red celestial markings, while Issun watched from a nearby snow covered rock.

"Look, I know it's been over a hundred years since you've seen the stuff, but there is snow everywhere in Kamui, it's not going to go away!"

Amaterasu, lying flat on her back, glanced over at her bug-sized friend with a wolfish grin as if to say 'So?'

"So now is not the time to be acting like a newborn pup! I'm over here freezing to death, and you're rolling around in the snow with a stupid smile on your face!" Issun fumed, his green aura seeming to flash red for a second.

Ammy stared at him for a second, before righting herself, and shacking the excess snow off of her fur. Letting out what was obviously a sigh of disappointment, the canine slowly walked over to the rock, her head hanging slightly.

"Oh no, don't you try to pull that guilt trip thing with me! You can prance about in this blizzard all you want as soon as you get me some place warmer than your fur coat!" Issun said, crossing his arms.

Suddenly, a powerful blast of wind hit the small man, sending him flying off the rock, and then into a mound of snow that, while just a tiny drift to most beings, was large enough to complete engulf the Poncle.

'COLD!' was all that ran through Issun's mind, and he would have yelled it out too, had his mouth not been filled with thousands of tiny ice crystals.

Thankfully, before the wandering artist could freeze to death, he felt himself being pulled out of the heavy blanket of solid cold that covered him, now exposing him to the equally cold wind of the outside world.

Though the numbing air was somewhat relieved by the hot breath that washed over him in a nervous pattern.

Strangely, Ammy's breath never smelled bad. Her slobber was disgusting, but her breath was just… regular, he guessed. He never really noticed a describable scent to it.

One has weird thought when one was almost frozen.

Once Issun was able to wipe the snow out of his eyes, he saw a sheepish looking Amaterasu (He didn't even know she _could _look ashamed) standing over him, fresh snow covering her muzzle. The wolf goddess let out a whimper, and nudged the smaller creature gently with her paw.

Issun had several things he wanted to say. One was for her to stop touching him; two was an accusation since he was certain Ammy was the one who had summoned that wind; and if two was correct, then three was going to a series of words Old Man Ishaku would beat him for even thinking.

However, he could only seem to get one sentence out of his mouth.

"I'm…So….Cold…"

Nodding, Amaterasu picked the Poncle up gently, and set him on her back, allowing him to get as far into her fur as possible, before setting off at a run to find some way to warm up her friend.

However, after several minutes of running, no signs of fire were to be found. However, the wolf was becoming more and more aware of the freezing cold herself, and the feeling of intense evil that grew stronger the farther north that she ran.

"Ammy… You're… Shivering…" Issun pointed out, having become determined to not fall asleep until they found some place warm.

The celestial being simply replied with a whine, doing her best not to focus on her own decreasing temperature.

"Told ya… Rolling… in the snow… Was a bad idea." Issun chuckled, managing to bring a small smile to Ammy's face.

But hearing her friend still being himself, even in such a dangerous situation, gave the Okami renewed strength, and she suddenly broke into a full-on sprint, an idea suddenly forming in her head.

Issun simply burrowed back down into the wolf's fur, the increasing winds already being enough to blind him.

But just as he was getting settled back in to her covering, Amaterasu suddenly stopped running, panting loud enough to be heard over the wind.

Deciding to chance it, Issun crawled back out of her fur coat, only to find Ammy in her battle stance.

"Hey… Furball… What's the matter?"

The last thing they needed was to get attacked in the middle of this thing, and he knew full well that demons weren't affected by weather like this.

In fact, they were probably the cause of it.

But Ammy wasn't paying attention to him; she was focusing on the clearing ahead of them. The she-wolf had been searching for a tree-less area that wasn't a frozen lake, and finally she had stumbled on to one.

And now, she could help her friend.

In a higher plane, a strange, black stone, and several multicolored papers were removed from a box, in preparation for what would be done next.

Issun, who had till that moment been trying to spot any monsters through his slowly dimming vision, suddenly was overwhelmed by the feeling of a powerful brush technique.

It was Ammy, and she had only one technique that required that much power…

Ten seconds later, Issun stood atop his partner's head, as said wolf sat on a warm patch of dirt, both gazing at the giant ball of fire that floated in the air.

Amaterasu had a satisfied look on her lupine face, obviously proud that her idea had worked.  
Her Fireburst power not only produced enough heat to cook a large fish with the scales still on it when uncontained, but seemed to hold back the freezing winds for the time being.

"Nice work Ammy, I was beginning to feel like an ice sculpture."

Though obviously concentrating on maintaining their heat source, the wolf barked, but Issun wasn't quite sure what she meant.

It was quiet for a few minutes, besides the crackling of the orb of flames, until Issun spoke again.

"Was it you who summoned that wind earlier?"

Though she didn't look at him, Ammy's ears drooped, and she whimpered a yes.

This was the part where the Poncle was supposed to open his mouth and demand to know how his so-called friend could put his life in danger like that, before refusing to speak to her for the rest of their journey.

But he couldn't.

The she-wolf just looked so adorably sad; watching him out of the corner of her eye, as her black-tipped tail slowly tapped the freshly thawed ground.

And he knew she hadn't purposely put him in danger, she had just been trying to have a little fun…

"Eh, forget about it Furball. Just keep the fire going."

That perked her ears up.

Barking happily, Amaterasu put a little more ink into her continuing inferno.

* * *

**Hitoribotchi.**

* * *

Kamiki Village was a tiny hamlet right next to Shinshu Fields, and home to Konohana tree, in which the statue of the legendary hero Nagi is enshrined. This small village, while beautiful, had suffered through many hardships in the past, having been the chosen feeding ground for the terrible monster Orochi. But for the last one-hundred years, Kamiki had been peaceful.

But one day, an unknown calamity occurred. No one knew what had happened, but the repercussions were obvious.

A terrifying roar filled the air, louder than the mightiest clap of thunder; the earth shook and cracked, the wind blew as if it was a typhoon; the usually tranquil sea that surrounded the land suddenly became a raging torrent, its waves reaching high above the mountain below which Kamiki sat.

And yet, for several hours, this terrifying cataclysm could not seem to affect the village, as the Konohana became a magical barrier which held back the wind and waves. However, the tree's power had long been diminished by decades of holding off the foul demons that wandered in the world outside. Because of this, the tree was not able to hold back everything the destructive storm hurled at it.

And so, the people of the village were forced to take cover in their homes, as the wind started to pick up. Fleeing was impossible, as a large boulder had blocked the path to Shinshu Fields.

For even longer, the wind whipped at the village's houses, seeming to be angry at the barrier that it struggled against. And for a short time, it felt like there was a chance of the tree's power holding.

Then, a loud crash echoed down from the mountain, and the barrier suddenly started weakening.

And before any of the villagers could act, a dark curse covered the hamlet.

Yet, the barrier remained, preventing the evil power from ascending up the mountain; and coming from the mountain, was the sound of sobbing.

"I'm so, so sorry, dear mother. Please, forgive your guardian; let my power be enough to restore you…" Sakuya, the tree spirit, was kneeling on the cold ground, tears running down her face as she spoke. For in front of her lay the remains of the statue of Shiranui, having been smashed by a boulder hurled by the wind.

For nearly one-hundred years it had been Sakuya's job to guard this statue, and Kamiki by extension. But when the great mother truly needed her, she had grown lax, and this was the consequence.

And though she tried with all her power to bring Amaterasu back, what light the sky still contained was slowly fading, as the god's life force started to dissipate.

"No, please, do not let me be the cause of the world's darkness!" Sakuya begged, draining even more power from her barrier to try and bring back the goddess' only chance of life.

So focused was she on this crucial task, that she didn't notice when a small creature with a green glow made its way out of her kimono, and hopped onto her shoulder.

"Hey, what's the problem babe?" A familiar and annoying voice asked, with that same touch of sleepiness to indicate that the speaker had just woken from a nap.

Normally, Sakuya would punish the bug from sleeping in her clothes, but right now, she didn't care. Nothing would matter anymore if she couldn't revive Amaterasu.

"I do not have time for your foolishness, bug, the great sun goddess is dying, and it is all my fault!"

Rather than be concerned about the death of a deity, the small creature was more interested in the insult.

"Hey, I'm not a bug! I'm…"

"I know, you're the Wandering Artist Issun, but that is not important right now. The dark forces have managed to destroy the statue that contained the great mother's life force."

Issun, still half-asleep, took his hat off, and scratched his head.

"So, the storm destroyed that statue of Shiranui?"

The tree spirit nodded.

"Yes, and because of the curse that is spreading throughout Nippon, I cannot summon enough power to revive Amaterasu. Unless she is saved, all hope is lost for the world."

The Poncle, after considering this for a moment, hopped off of the female's shoulder, and bounced over to the remains of the monument.

"So, fix the statue, and the storm will stop?"

Again, Sakuya nodded.

"If mother Amaterasu is revived, her power will be enough to push back the curse. But I'm losing strength with each passing moment. I am not able to resurrect her."

"Is that so?" Issun asked, a grin spreading across his face. "Hey, would it make you happy if I repaired the statue?"

Sakuya's head shot up, and she stared at the tiny man with a mixture of disbelieve and hope.

"How could YOU revive the great goddess, little bug?"

"Hey, I'm not a bug! I'm an artist! Plus, I happen to be a master of the Rejuvenation brush technique. Don't worry your pretty little head, babe, I'll have good old… whatever her name is… standing tall in under five minutes."

And with that, the Poncle generated a scroll about ten times larger than he was from a magical pouch on his side, along with a smaller ink pot.

Issun wasn't quite sure what the big deal was about the statue. Sure, it was in honor of a very heroic creature, one that had possessed all thirteen brush powers, but it was just a model made from stone.

Well, if it made the storm stop, he didn't care, plus Sakuya seemed awfully upset about it. If he managed to fix it, then maybe she would let him stay around more often, and who knew where that could lead?

Growing excited just thinking about it, Issun was quick to unsheathe his sword, which also doubled as a brush, and get to drawing.

He had seen the statue enough, since Sakuya always hung around this area, as it was where her tree was rooted.

Or supposed to be anyway, as the guardian plant seemed to have disappeared; probably another reason the spirit was in such an emotional state

The point is, he knew exactly how to paint the wolf, crouched in a battle stance, its fangs bared, ready to attack the foul demon it had fallen to.

And so, the artist drew, his ink forming a near perfect picture of what the statue used to look like. At some point, Sakuya had floated over, and was watching the Poncle as he reconstructed the memorial on paper.

True to his word, Issun had finished painting in under five minutes, and proudly signed his name next to the wolf.

"There ya go, sweetie. Just place this on the pedestal, and the restoration technique should do the rest."

Nodding, Sakuya picked up the scroll, and slowly floated over to the stone remains.

"Dear Mother Amaterasu… Please, let this restore you to life, let your holy rays guide us, and rid this land of evil!"

With that, Sakuya set the painting down, only to be immediately blown back as the scroll caught fire, the flames exploding outwards, consuming the ruins.

"Uh… This isn't my fault…" Issun whispered, watching as the pillar of fire swirled in the opposite direction the wind was blowing.

Sakuya, who had been thrown to the ground by the force of the fire's ignition, stared wide-eyed at the spectacle before her.

"Amaterasu…" She whispered, already feeling the divine presence washing over her.

"Wait, you mean you were serious about that statue being the sun god?" Issun asked, but soon was able to see the answer, as another blast, this time of cool wind, instantly extinguished the fire, revealing a figure within the smoke.

Hopping off the now chard pedestal, the four-legged silhouette moved out into view, revealing a wolf with a brilliant white coat, bearing strange red patterns throughout her fur. Proudly, the she-wolf reared back her head, and let out a victorious howl.

"Wow… My brushwork actually worked…" Issun muttered, amazed at the sight he had just witnessed.

Sakuya seemed to have lit up as soon as she saw the wolf, floating up into the air, her face bearing a delighted smile.

"Great Mother Amaterasu, I am overjoyed to see you alive. Please, I beg that you forgive my carelessness in allowing the evil to penetrate my barrier."

However, the goddess seemed to ignore the spirit, as her gaze had fallen onto the tiny Issun, who had gone from amazed to nervous.

"Heh… Uh… Like what you see?" The artist asked, not quite sure what to expect from the former statue. The beast didn't react to his words, simply continuing to stare at him.

"Hey, Sakuya, she is one of those benevolent gods isn't she?"

The guardian of Kamiki, who looked upset about being ignored, nodded.

"Indeed, Amaterasu cares for all creatures, except for those creatures are advocates of evil…"

Issun blinked, and then turned back to the watching wolf.

"So I've done some bad things! That doesn't make me evil does it?"

The canine turned her head, and then let out a sound akin to laughter.

Except in Issun's mind, where a true, pleasant sounding laugh also rang out.

"Agh!" Issun involuntary jumped back at the sensation of a new voice invading his mind. Then, it spoke again.

'You are the one called Issun, correct?'

"Eh, yeah, who's talking to me?" He asked out loud, invoking a strange look from Sakuya.

But the wolf in front of him simply gave a bow, her tail starting to wag.

'I am Amaterasu, goddess of the sun. You're the one who restored my body in this world…'

Her voice was soft, something he hadn't expected. Yet it did carry a strong feeling of authority, and a hint of playfulness.

"Oh, well, ya know… anything for a god."

'I am glad you have that philosophy, as I have a favor to ask of you.'

Still feeling nervous, but now with the voice in his head as well as the animal in front of him, Issun nodded quickly.

"Ask away… ah, Amaterasu, right?"

'Yes, but an old friend of mine called me Ammy. You may use that, if you find it easier.'

"Ok, um… 'Ammy'… What kind of favor are we talking about?"

'No other beings can hear my voice, only you can, because you attached your soul to me by signing your name on the parchment that brought me back to life. Your skill in restoration is impressive, and you seem knowledgeable about the world. I would very much appreciate it if you would become my familiar.'

Issun suddenly felt his body freeze up. He had just been asked by a powerful deity to become her familiar. All his life, he had heard it was his destiny to help restore belief in the gods, which was one of the reasons he had left the Poncle village. And now, he was being asked to be the assistant of the sun god.

Somewhere, an older Poncle was laughing.

"Your familiar?… Well, gee, that's quite the honor, but we hardly know each other! I mean, I'm great company, but some people just don't work well together…"

"Issun," Sakuya suddenly said, causing both god and artist to look at her. "You are a fantastic artist, and have the power of the brush. Amaterasu is powerful, but she will need help in driving back this great darkness. Please, I beg you to assist our mother."

'The choice is yours, little one. But I do promise that you will be rewarded. I have long been without my brush techniques. If you help me retrieve them, I'll grant them to you too.'

Glancing between the two females, Issun considered his options. The promise of brush techniques was enticing, plus, who knew what kind of treasures he would stumble across journeying with Ammy. Sure, there was the threat of evil monsters, but with the sun god by his side, what was the worst they could do…

Also, chicks love heroes.

'Get some brush techniques, save the world, get lots of girls…'

"Alright, but only if you promise to not get me killed." Issun finally said, jumping onto Amaterasu's head, causing the wolf to bark happily.

'I promise to protect you with my life, Issun. There will be much danger, as I sense a great evil at work. But with you helping me, our artwork will overcome every danger.'

"Heh, you're speaking my language, Furball."

Sakuya smiled at the two, as cherry blossoms swirled around her.

"I shall pray for your safety, mother Amaterasu. May the fresh scent of nature guide you always."

With that, the wood spirit disappeared, as her sacred tree reappeared where the statue once was, her barrier starting to push back down the mountain, driving back the dark clouds that covered the earth. As the fog vanished, strange demons became visible charging up towards their new opposition.

'Ready, young Issun?' Amaterasu asked, dropping into a battle stance.

"Whenever you are, Ammy. Let's go save the world!"

* * *

**Watashi O Yurushitekudasai.**

**Author's Note: **'Yuki' was inspired by all the messing around I did in the snow areas. I figured poor Issun would be frozen solid by the time I actually did anything relative to the plot.

**Thanks For Reading.**


	4. Kōkai

**Furball: Chapter Four.**

* * *

**Author's Note: **Well, I finally finished Okami, and started playing it again… Without giving too much away, that was the best game ending I've ever seen. But... the final boss…

How was I getting my butt kicked by THAT?.

Also, spoiler warning.

* * *

**Sutā.**

* * *

All across Nippon, the people stared at the sky in confusion and fear. Many were sure this was the work of demons, much like all the other disasters that had struck the country. This time, however, the very heavens had been affected, and the dark powers had removed the sun in the middle of the day, and instead let the moon shine forth.

Truly, this was an evil omen.

Or the work of a white wolf with control of the Crescent brush technique.

"You know, being a god, you ought to be more responsible with these powers of yours Ammy."

Looking over at the sprite that sat next to her, Amaterasu narrowed her eyes, and gave an unamused snort, causing her companion to laugh.

"Yeah, ok, I'd probably do the same thing. But I'm not the goddess of the sun either."

Deciding he had a point, the deity lay down on the ground, refocusing her eyes on the starry sky above, the wolf sighed, pleased with her work.

It would have been a serene scene, had Issun not spoke again at that moment.

"I wonder if they're freaking out in the city right now… I mean, you did just change the course of the day."

Besides an uncommitted whine, the artist received little in terms of an answer. Not that it deterred him any.

"Because, you know, what with the plague, the water dragon, and the queen…"

Ammy, who had been half-listening, had to lay there for a second before she realized her friend had stopped talking in the middle of his sentence.

That was something Issun never did…

Raising her head back up, she glanced at the Poncle to see him staring off into space, his aura seeming to have dimmed a bit.

Tilting her head, Amaterasu reached out her paw and bumped the artist, startling him back to reality.

"Huh? Oh, ah, I was just rambling, that's all." Issun said, waving off the she-wolf. The goddess stared at him for a minute, before looking back at the sky.

The brush wielder, on the other hand, simply looked past the Earth's canopy, his thoughts still dwelling in Sei'an City, in Himiko's Palace…

How could he not have seen it? Himiko had outright warned them that evil would do whatever it took to get to her, to stop her from finding the vanishing island's location. And yet, he had never doubted the priestess, never thought that she might be using them.

He saw all the signs now. Rao abandoning them against the Water Dragon, sending them into a haunted ship on a wild goose chase, being so obsessed about those stupid Fox Rods.

And in the end, they had given her the ultimate weapon, and she used it to murder Queen Himiko, and would have killed Ammy, if she had not been restricted by her true form's large size.

Now, it all made sense. But just hours ago, he never would have suspected the 'gifted' babe of truly being that evil wench Ninetails.

Of course, it had been Ammy who had given her… him… it the Fox Rods, so he wasn't the only one fooled, not that the fact made him feel any better, because, in the end, they had been tricked, and were partially responsible for the death of the Queen of Nippon.

And yet, Himiko didn't seem to blame them, as her presence remained in the damaged crystal ball long enough to reveal Oni Island's location, before finally fading away.

He remembered her last words being those of prayer for their safety, as her spirit vanished. Just like she had been praying for her citizens for what was undoubtedly days on end.

"And to think I called her a coward…" Issun found himself muttering, in an unusually sober tone. He had insulted the woman's honor, when in truth she had been lamenting because she wasn't able to both help her people and find Oni Island at the same time.

She was a hero, having given her life to safe Sei'an City, and he had helped kill her…

Suddenly, his thoughts of regret were interrupted by something warm and fuzzy wrapping around him, barely giving the sprite enough time to make a surprised sound before Ammy's paw had pulled him directly in front of the wolf, before placing both of her front legs to form a circle around the Poncle.

"Hey, what the heck was that for? I wasn't doing anything!" Issun yelled at the canine, before noticing that she was staring at him with a worried expression, her eyes, the only way a wolf is able to speak, obviously showing him her concern and understanding.

Now, Issun felt a twinge of guilt for spreading his downtrodden feelings to his female friend. He wasn't one to dwell on bad thoughts like this, after all, that's was causes evil, but he just kept remembering seeing Himiko's body lying next to the blood-soaked crystal ball…

Then, Amaterasu leant forward, until the side of her face was touching him, catching the artist off guard. But before he could say something, Issun noticed just how soft her cheek was, and subconsciously began to pet it.

As he did so, Ammy moved her head up and down, her fur brushing against Issun, who suddenly realized what she was doing.

"Ammy… Are you hugging me?"

The wolf gently nodded, looking at the artist out of one of her eyes, as he suddenly started to laugh.

"Nice try, Furball, but there's quite a big size difference…"

Even though she probably couldn't see it (but knowing Ammy there was also a chance that she could), Issun smiled, and placed both of his hands against her head.

"But thanks anyways, Ammy… You don't have to worry about me like that, you know?"

That's when she turned to face him, and he clearly understood what her eyes and that slight smile of hers said.

'But I do.'

"Of course you do," Issun said, jumping onto the goddess' head, and motioning to the sky. "I mean, you did change the day to night just because I wished the stars were out… Thanks for that as well, by the way."

In response, Amaterasu lay back down, as Issun did the same on her head, both gazing up into the sky from their spot on Watcher's Cape, watching as the Whirlpool Galaxy spun slowly, surrounded by millions of other stars which filled the darkened world with light.

Somewhere, there were brush gods in those stars, waiting for their techniques to be learned and mastered. But at that moment, Issun could've cared less about those gods.

He was fine with the one he had, the one that cared for him.

"Goodnight, Ammy…"

* * *

**Nuruyu.**

* * *

"I hate baths…"

Issun was sure he had uttered this feeling at least a thousand times during his travels with Amaterasu, and given her smell and tendency to avoid water, the deity felt the same way.

Or at least, that's what he had assumed.

Apparently, Ammy was only opposed to baths that involved HER getting wet, because she sure seemed to be enjoying herself now, if that smirk she bore was any indication. A look directly contrasted by Issun's hateful glare.

"Sure, enjoy your fun Furball; once I get Denkomaru back, you're going to pay for this…" The Poncle threatened, crossing his arms in defiance as he sat in the small ceramic bowl that Amaterasu had filled with river water, and, somehow, managed to warm up without him noticing.

Of course, as soon as Issun saw the wolf heading his way with the mini-bathtub in her mouth and the gleam in her eye, he had tried running for the Moon Cave, planning on finding a way to get Orochi to save him.

Unfortunately, he soon learned that Ammy's Veil of Mist was just as confusing when used against him as it was against demons.

So, he had drawn his sword, and threatened to cut off her wagging tail if she came any closer.

That went as well as one might expect.

And that was how Issun found himself in an admittedly comfortable tub, his clothes, sword, and beetle hat having been carefully laid in the grass, as he was being watched over by a she-wolf who obviously was having too much fun.

"The only reason you're doing this is to watch me suffer. You stink worse than I do!"

In response, Amaterasu summoned a nice _cold _stream of water from the river she sat beside onto Issun's head.

Grumbling, the Poncle decided to keep his mouth shut for the rest of his torture.

Finally, after another ten minutes, Ammy seemed to grow bored, and placed her paw on the edge of the bowl, tipping it over and dumping the water and Issun onto the grass.

Ok, now she was just being mean.

Shivering and swearing under his breath, the artist stomped over to where his large hat could be seen.

After dressing and equipping his sword, Issun turned to Amaterasu, who had been watching him the whole time with the same self-satisfied smirk.

For a long time, the two stared at each other, as Issun tried to think of what to say that would express his true anger at that moment.

Finally, he just sighed, and crossed his arms again.

"I hate baths…"

Letting out a bark that was undoubtedly laughter, Amaterasu walked over the Poncle, who simply turned away.

"Go away, mutt, I'm not speaking to you anymore. Thanks to you, I'm wet, I'm cold, my clothes are uncomfortable, and my hair is all messed up."

But instead of doing like she was told, Ammy did what she always did, and lay down beside him, still watching him with that stupid grin.

Well, this time, he wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of winning, this time he was just going to tuff it out and…

A very small, but very cold breath of wind hit him.

Alright, screw pride, he was freezing.

Refusing to look at Amaterasu's face, since he knew she was probably smirking again, knowing that she had won, Issun walked over to the wolf, crawled up her side, and buried himself in her fur.

He had already figured out that this was why she would give him a bath every week or so, going through all that trouble just to get him to snuggle into her hair.

It wasn't that he minded doing it, he actually quite enjoyed it.

He just hated baths…

* * *

**Sukuinushi.**

* * *

Every time, every battle, every victory, he had been on the sidelines. Sure, he had been on her back the whole time, but Ammy was the one who would fight, who would discover the enemy's weakness, and exploit it, while he would just sit back, and boast whenever they won.

No, when she won.

It was never them, it was always her. Amaterasu was always the one in combat, not him.

It was always her who saved the world, her who destroyed Orochi, her who exposed Ninetails, and ended that deceiver's wicked scheme, while all he did was steal her brush techniques.

But not anymore, this time, he was going to be the one to save her.

This time, he was going to rescue the sun goddess.

This time, he was going to help to destroy the greatest evil.

"C'mon everybody! Let's join together to call upon the great god. Let's show Ammy that we truly believe!"

* * *

**Final Notes: **'Sutā' was inspired by my own love for the night sky, and my thoughts on how Issun felt about Himiko's death. Plus, comfort fluff is always fun to write. 'Nuruyu' was inspired by Calvin and Hobbes, of all things, and was also completely come up with on the spot. So if it sucks, that's why.

**Thanks for reading.**


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